Tag Archives: exercise

When my 11 year old daughter asked me to set up a strength training program for her, I wasn’t sure if she was serious. Several weeks later, she is still asking when she can start her program! Her goal is to become stronger so she can do an overhand volleyball serve. She plays soccer and basketball, but volleyball is something new. I appreciate her determination and willingness to work to achieve her goals!

Kids should be properly supervised at all times and be in a safe environment

Always begin with a warm-up

Focus on proper technique

Breath properly during the movement, no breath holding

Vary upper and lower body movements

Perform up to 15 reps

Train 2-3 days a week (non-consecutive days)

Always cool down afterwards

Drink plenty of fluids

Strength training for kids can improve their bone density and has been shown to enhance motor skills and sports performance. There isn’t a minimum age when kids can start training, but they should be old enough to follow directions and understand the benefits of the exercise.

Our plan is to use different forms of resistance. Light dumbbells, resistance bands, and body weight, as it’s good to mix it up and helps with boredom. The exercises should take 20-30 minutes.

Dumbbell or resistance band routine: Warm up for 5-10 minutes. Perform 3 sets of 8-10 reps using light weights or resistant band. (lay on the floor for chest press)

*if you are unfamiliar with any of the exercises, do a quick google search*

I have 1 lb., 5 lb. and 8 lb. dumbbells for my daughter to use. We will start light and progress from there. Proper form is key in preventing any injury. Always cool down and do some stretches for each major muscle group after each workout. Drink some water and eat a healthy snack!

Some other fun options would be to set up an obstacle course or go to a playground or park. Getting kids outside and moving is always encouraged! Playing hopscotch, jumping rope, tug of war, climbing a tree, and riding a bike will strengthen muscles and bones. It is recommended that kids get at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day.

With the last day of school quickly approaching, it will be a great time to get started. Creating a special workout calendar, chart, or workout log may be something fun to do and to show progress!

Sixty percent of our total body weight is water. Water carries nutrients to cells and helps maintain our body temperature through sweat. Staying fully hydrated helps our heart and muscles work more efficiently.

With the temperatures rising and summer running approaching, I thought it would be fitting to talk about staying hydrated before, during, and after exercise. Drinking only when you’re thirsty should not be your goal. Thirst occurs when we have already lost 1-2 liters of fluid! So, to stay properly hydrated, it’s important to drink fluids regularly, rather than relying on thirst.

When we lose just 2% of body weight due to dehydration, our aerobic performance suffers. In order to perform our best and feel our best, we should be fully hydrated before, during, and after exercise!

Prior to Exercise

The majority of people begin exercise fully hydrated. It is recommended to drink 17 to 20 ounces of water two to three hours before exercise and another 8 oz. about 20 minutes before beginning. (If the color of your urine is dark yellow, more fluids are needed). I always have a cup of coffee before running as I’m sure many runners do! The good news is “caffeine intake has little effect on hydration status with exercise.”

During Exercise

The purpose of fluid intake during exercise is to prevent dehydration (decreased body fluid) and hyponatremia (low sodium level in the blood). Here are some guidelines to follow:

Try to drink the same amount of fluid that you lose in sweat. An easy way to determine this is to weigh yourself before and after exercise. Everyone is different and has different sweat rates but it is advised to drink 8-16 oz. per hour. (Compared to men, women have lower sweat rates and reduced electrolyte losses).

During exercise sessions lasting 90 minutes or longer or if heavy sweating occurs, fluids with sodium are recommended. Sports drinks are very helpful in replenishing sodium loss. Another alternative is to consume extra sodium with food before a long exercise session.

To minimize fatigue during exercise, consume a sports drink that contains carbohydrate. Also, if you plan on exercising for longer than an hour, it is recommended to take in carbohydrate with your fluids. Muscle glycogen stores are depleted with prolonged exercise. To sustain performance levels and prevent tiredness, you should try to get 30-60 grams of carbs that are quickly absorbed for every hour of training. Sports drinks come in handy during endurance exercise, as they can replace fluids, sodium, and glucose. There are many different types of sports drinks and it’s best to use trial and error to figure out which brand you like and see that it doesn’t cause stomach issues. Most races have a sports drink available during the event. If you plan to take advantage of this, then you should find out what brand is being used and practice with it during training to make sure it works for you.

Post Exercise

After exercising, your goal should be to make up for any fluid imbalance that occurred during your training. This includes water to restore hydration, carbs to restock glycogen stores, and electrolytes to boost rehydration. Symptoms of severe dehydration are nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. If this occurs, you may need to have fluids replaced intravenously (put directly into a vein).

Most athletes can fully rehydrate with their usual meals, snacks, and fluids. If you plan on training within 12 hours or less after your session, you should try to drink about 1.5 liters of fluid for each 2 pound lost.

It’s important to note that the human body is able to tolerate substantial changes in fluid intake while exercising and at rest with little or no effects on health. Because of this, most recreational exercisers will never experience hyponatremia or severe dehydration. Prolonged or intense exercise in extreme heat does increase health risk.

To be safe, feel good, and perform your best, it is essential to drink water throughout the day and try to maintain body water stores. Don’t just rely on thirst. Make water easily available, bring a water bottle with you when your on the go, or even set a reminder on your phone. Take charge, have a plan, and drink up!

The first gym I ever belonged to was called Victory Lady Fitness, a gym just for women. I was in my early twenties and this was a good option at the time. I learned how to use the machines and free weights. I took a few “aerobic” classes and went quite often. I have fond memories of Victory Lady!

Currently, I belong to Planet Fitness. I’ve been a member for a little over a year now. Before joining a gym, I did all of my strength work at home with dumbbells, exercise bands or using my own bodyweight. Having some weights at home is so convenient, but belonging to a gym is a nice change. Plus there are many more options!

I have always wanted to be able to do pull-ups. I remember in gym class (I think around 6-7th grade) we had to attempt to do a pull-up. I think there were only two girls that could actually do them! I so badly wanted to do at least one. But it never happened.

Enter the weight assisted pull-up machine. I remember using this machine at Victory Lady but it was so long ago. I was intimidated by the machine when I saw it at Planet Fitness. It took several months before I tried it.

Unlike all the other weight machines, the less weight you use on the pull-up machine, the more difficult it is. I like to think of it as a scale, where your body weight is in balance with the weight used on the machine. The less weight you select, the harder the pull-up becomes because you are using more of your body weight. A good amount of weight to start with might be half your body weight. Then you can progress from there by decreasing the weight and eventually use only your body weight.

You can also try out different hand grips such as palms in, palms out, wide grip, or hands closer together. Pull-ups target primarily the latissimus dorsi muscle of the back, but also uses many other upper body muscles such as your biceps, chest, and upper back (rhomboids). When doing the exercise, you want to make sure to brace your abdominal muscles to help stabilize the spine.

Another thing that I like about this machine is that you can also perform triceps dips. This targets the triceps muscle which is on the upper backside of your arm and runs from your shoulder to elbow. (this is a great exercise to tone your arms!)

Doing pull-ups definitely makes me feel strong! This exercise will help strengthen your upper body as well as tighten your core. Being able to lift your own body weight is a great goal to have. Eventually, I would like to get a pull-up bar to use at home. They are fairly inexpensive and fit most doorway frames. It would be a great piece of equipment to add to any home gym!

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Disclaimer

This is a personal blog. All content provided is for informational purposes only and should not be substituted for professional or medical advice. Please consult with a medical professional before making any changes to your diet or beginning an exercise program.